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Engineering with Computers

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24-02-2020 | Original Article

Novel strength reduction numerical method to analyse the stability of a fractured rock slope from mesoscale failure

Authors: Wei Gao, Xin Chen, Xu Wang, Chengjie Hu

Published in: Engineering with Computers | Issue 4/2021

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Abstract

The strength reduction method is a suitable numerical method for analysing the stability of complex rock slopes. However, in the determination of the safety factor of a slope, a critical limitation to this approach is the definition of the critical (or limit equilibrium) state of the slope. To overcome this problem, the analysis of the development of the crack tip plastic zone for preexisting cracks in a fractured rock slope is used as the basis for a proposed new method that defines the critical state of the slope by considering mesoscale failure. Thus, using the eXtended Finite Element Method as a tool and based on this new definition, a new strength reduction numerical method to analyse the stability of a fractured rock slope is proposed. Finally, the new method is verified by performing a comparison with the traditional strength reduction method for the numerical study of a rock slope that has four unequal preexisting cracks. The results show that a value of 0.3 for the ratio of the crack space to the short crack length can be considered the new definition of the critical state for a slope. Furthermore, because mesoscale failure appears before macroscale failure, the safety factor corresponding to the new method is smaller than that derived by the traditional method, which considers macroscale failure. Therefore, the proposed method is beneficial for engineering safety.

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Title: Novel strength reduction numerical method to analyse the stability of a fractured rock slope from mesoscale failure
Authors: Wei Gao
Xin Chen
Xu Wang
Chengjie Hu
Publication date: 24-02-2020
Publisher: Springer London
Published in: Engineering with Computers / Issue 4/2021
Print ISSN: 0177-0667
Electronic ISSN: 1435-5663
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00366-020-00984-2

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